Work-box.



No. 742,719. PATENTED OCT. 2 1903.. R. a. MoDOWELL.

WORK BOX.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1903. N0 MODEL.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES,

Patented October 27, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WORK-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,719,

Application filed April 20, 1903. Serial No- 153,447.

dated October 27, 1903.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT GEORGE Mc- DOWELL, acitizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Anaconda, in the county of Deerlodge and Stateof Montana, have invented a new and Improved Combined Receptacle andSupport for Spools, of which the following is a full, clear, andexactdescription.

This invention relates to combined receptacles and spool-supports; andit consists substantially in the construction, organization, andcombinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims.

Though applicable to the purposes of other artisans or operatives, myimprovements are intended more especially for use by seamstresses andothers and the principal object of, my invention is to provide a deviceor structure of the kind referred to by which a number of spools ofsewing thread or silk may be detachably or removably supported withinconvenient reach of a seamstress or other similar operative while atwork, thereby overcoming many annoyances and the loss of considerabletime and also enabling suitable lengths of different-colored threads orsilks to be drawn from the spools accordingly as may be required.

A further object is to provide a device or structure of this characterwhich in part may also serve as a convenient receptacle for variousarticles and also in part as a support for a cushion for the receptionof pins, needles, and similar devices, a still further. object of theinvention being to provide a device or structure for the purposes namedwhich is exceedingly simple in the construction and organization of theseveral elements or parts thereof, besides being convenient andornamental, as well as cheap to manufacture, and also possessing thecapacity for long and repeated service.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantiallysuch as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is a perspective view of a device constructed and organized inaccordance with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view in detail indicatingmore clearly the construction of the ends of the supporting-rods for thespools and Fig. 3 is a part sectional view in detail,

representing more clearly the manner in which one of thespool-supporting rods is suspended between the openings or slots formedtherefor in the side portions of the spool-support.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated thatin the embodiment of my improvements herein shown I preferably employ asuitably-supported receptacle for various articles--such asbodkins,scissors, thimbles, hairpins, jewelry, and the like-audrotatably mounted upon said receptacle is. a lid or cover therefor,which is of special construction, as will be explained, whilecooperatively united therewith is a support for spools for sewing threador silk, which support is also of special construction and adapted torotate with said lid or cover in the manner and for the purposehereinafter specifically set forth.

While I have herein illustrated a certain preferred embodiment of myimprovements, it will be understood, of course, that I do not limitmyself to the precise details thereof in practice, since immaterialchanges therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of myinvention.

Specific reference being had to the accompanying drawings, 1 representsa suitable base, preferably hollow and constructed of sheet metal, whichis bent or crimped to form any suitable ornamental design, as shown,said base being formed at the upper part thereof with a sunken orrecessed portion 2, seated closely within which is acorrespondingly-projected portion 3 of substantially acircularly-contracted downward extension 4 of the main body of asuitable receptacle 5, preferably substantially circular in form andalso preferably of considerably larger diam eter than that of the saidbase 1. Preferably the upper edge of the said receptacle 5 is turnedoutwardly to form practically a continuous annular flange 6, which is ofcurved form transversely, as shown. Seated upon said annular flange ofthe receptacle is a corresponding flange 7, formed integrallywith a lidor cover 8, which, as shown, is reversely curved in such manner as toproduce therein an annular recess 9, the outer portion 10 of the base ofwhich lies close to the adjacent inner surface portion of thereceptacle, while the inner portion 11 of the said cover issubstantially inwardly and upwardly inclined all around the cover andterminates in a central vertical annular flange or ring 12. (See Fig.1.) In order to secure the said receptacle 5 rigidly in position uponthe base 1, I form in the corresponding portions 2 3 of the saidelements suitable registering openings 13 14:, through which passes thereduced end portion 15 of a rod 16, which extends upwardly for asuitable height and is preferably oval or rounded off at the upper end17 thereof, the said lower reduced end portion of the rod beingthreaded, as shown at 18, while fitted to the rod on the inner surfacesof the said portions 2 3, respectively, are washers 19 20, a lock-nut 21being employed by which to tightly secure the parts together in a mannerquite apparent, and inasmuch as ready access may be had to both the baseand the receptacle itself it follows that the parts referred to may beeasily and quickly associated whenever desired. Fitted to the outer sideof the said vertical annular flange or ring 12 by means of rivets 22 orin any other suitable way is a corresponding flange or ring 23, pendentfrom the edge of a disk or plate 24, the under surface of which rests atthe center upon the said rounded upper end 17 of the rod 16, and rigidlyconnected with this disk or plate, preferably at diametrically oppositepoints 25 thereof, are duplicate verticallydisposed side plates 26 26,which in the carrying out of the intended functions thereof may be ofany. preferred configuration or shape, but which are preferably ofsubstantially triangular form, having parts removed therefrom at 27 bywhich to economize in the material employed in their construction andalso to give a certain amount of ornamentality thereto, it being notedthat both the inner and outer edges of the members 28 of each plate arescalloped at 29, which also adds somewhat to the appearance of thestructure. In addition to these features of construction of the saidside plates it may be also stated that inasmuch as the outer edges ofthe members 28 thereof are of gradually-increasing distance from eachother toward the lower extremity thereof provision is thereby affordedfor the support between the plates of spools 30 of thread or silk ofconsiderably larger diameter than is afforded by the capacity betweenthe plates at the narrower portions thereof. As herein shown, the saidsupportin g-plates are formed at corresponding parts of their upperextremities with openings 31, leading from the lower part of the edge ofeach of which is a notch 32, the opposite edges of which are verticallydisposed, as shown, and at a suitable distance below the plate membersare each correspondingly formed with duplicate openings and notches 33of like construction, and, moreover, the members are likewiseconstructed lower down with other duplicate sets 2% 35, respectively, ofsimilarlyformed combined openings and notches. Seated upon the loweredge of each of the said notches of the spool-supporting plates 26 isthe end portion of a rod 36, which is formed for a suitable distancefrom each end with a circumferential groove 37, in which the said loweredge portion of the notch is received when the rods are supported inposition between the plates, it being observed that the openings are ofa diameter between the edges thereof to permit the endwise insertiontherethrough of the said rods and also that the diameter of the rods issuch as to enable an ordinary spool 30 of silk or thread to he slippedoved the same, substantially as shown.

From this construction and organization it will be seen that the spoolsare mounted in position by inserting an end of the rod through one ofthe openings 31 to 35 from the outer side of one of thesupporting-plates, and then pushing the rod through said opening andlikewise through the longitudinal opening in a spool, and thencontinuing to force the rod through until the grooves therein are inregistry with the edges of the opposite combined openings and notches,whereupon by allowing the rod (with the spool thereon) to rest withinthe notches both the rod and spool are prevented from displacement(either accidentally or otherwise) until the reverse of the operationdescribed has been effected or carried out. The said spool-supportingelement of the structure is thus capable of being rotated with the lidor cover of the receptacle in such manner as to bring either one of thespools into position for withdrawing portions of the thread or silktherefrom, it being apparent that but little friction is encounteredeither between. the disk 24 and rod 17 or between thecorrespondingly-flanged portions of the said cover and receptacle. Atthe same time it will also be noted that the lid or cover, together withthe spool-supporting structure, may be readily detached or removed fromthe receptacle at any time for the purpose of access to the latter, andwhile the annular recess 9, formed in the said lid or cover, may beutilized for various purposes I preferably seat or locate therein acushion 38 of any preferred construction or embodiment adapting the samefor the reception of pins or needles in the ordinary way. As a means forretaining this cushion in place I may employ annular flexible cords orrings 39, but it is apparent other means may be employed.

If desired, the distance between the supporting-plates 26 may be such asto accommodate a plurality of spools on each rod, in which case saidrods will of course be made of correspondingly-increased length, and, ashereinbefore mentioned, other changes may be made without departing frommy invention. The parts may be constructed of any desired material, andthe device or structure is readily portable, besides being very lightand occupying but small space either in the uses thereof or in shipmentor transmission. I may dispense with the rod 16, if desired, anddetachably connect the receptacle 5 to IIO . its base 1 in any othersuitable way, in which case the rotatable movements of the spoolsupportmay take place entirely upon the said flange 6. Otherforms of directsupports for the spools may also be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A combined receptacle and spoolsupport, comprisinga base having a central depression in the upper surface thereof, areceptacle having a projection fitting said depression, a pin with oneend passing through corresponding openings in said elements and havingwashers and a nut thereon, and with the other end reaching to a pointabove the edge of the receptacle, a rotatable lid having a plate fittedthereto and resting on the upper end of the pin, and a spool-supportrigidly connected to said plate, said lid being reversely curveddiametrically, forming thereby an annular recess adapted for thereception of a pincushion.

2. A combined receptacle and spool-support, comprising a base having acentral depression in the upper surface thereof, a receptacle having aprojection fitting said depression, a pin with one end passing throughcorresponding openings in said elements and having washers and a nutthereon,

and with the other end reaching to a point above the edge of thereceptacle, a rotatable lid having a plate fitted thereto and resting onthe upper end of the pin, and a spool-support rigidly connected to saidplate, this support being constructed of duplicate vertical platesformed with corresponding openings and notches, and having rods fittedin opposite notches and formed with circumferential grooves in whichportions of the edges of the notches are received.

3. A combined receptacle and spool-support, comprising a, base having acentral depression in the upper surface thereof, a receptacle having aprojection fitting said depression, a pin with one end'passing throughcorresponding openings in said elements,and having washers and a nutthereon, and with the other end reaching to a point above the edge ofthe receptacle, a rotatable lid having a plate fitted thereto, andresting on the upper end of the pin, and a spool-support rigidlyconnected to said plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ROBERT GEORGE Witnesses:

FRANK BYRNE, MALAOHI SHEAHAN.

MOD OWVELL.

